In many processes used for preparing a resin composition for the preparation of linoleum (the resin composition hereinafter will be referred to as linoleum cement; also referred to as Bedford cement in the linoleum preparation industry, after the manner of formation) make use of one or more polyunsaturated oils are started from, which oils are first `dried` by air oxidation. These drying oils are mixed, with a resin, is particular with colophony, before or during or after the drying, which will then produce the Bedford cement. After mixing this cement with fillers and pigments, the resulting linoleum mix is usually applied to a mostly jute substrate using a calender and the product obtained is then cured for a number of weeks at 60.degree.-80.degree. C. (see, inter alia, Ullmann, Encyklopadie der technischen Chemie, Band 12 (1976), p. 24 ff. and Encycl. of Pol. Sci. and Techn. Vol. 1 (1964) p. 403 ff.).
The disadvantage associated with this process for the preparation of linoleum is the long period of time required for curing or maturing the product, which in turn depends on the thickness of the linoleum layer. Further, in order to determine if the desired hardness has been reached, an intensive, manual inspection is required.
European patent application 174042, describes a resin composition suitable for a linoleum cement, with a substantial reduction in the period of time required for the hardening of the linoleum and with an improvement in the homogeneity of the material thus obtained.
The resin composition comprises a mixture of resins, the first resin which consists of the reaction product of an epoxidized fatty acid ester of a polyvalent alcohol with a monovalent carboxylic acid, while the second resin consists of an ester of a polyvalent alcohol, modified with carboxylic acid. The phrase `modified with carboxylic acid` in this connection also comprises the presence of carboxylic anhydride groups in place of or in addition to carboxylic acid groups.
However, a problem associated with this resin composition is that, in the absence of linoleum cement, the products based on this composition are too brittle.